Glueing of dense /oily woods

**FreeMark** · 10-30-2009, 10:00 PM

So I was at my local woodworking store, and came across some beautiful 4/4 X ~6 X 24 planks of Lignum Vitae. Couldn't resist the siren call of beautiful wood.

Thought I'd plane and laminate three layers and have a nice balnk for a bench mallett - y'know I have always heard about LV malletts and plane soles and the like, due to the mechanical properties of the wood.

Then later of course it dawned on me, duh, "with the wood being so oily, how would any kind of glue bond to it?"

Any experience or suggestions? I may just now have stock for a collection of "flat rectangular bowls".

Thanks,
Mark

**Cody Colston** · 10-31-2009, 05:46 AM

Mark,

The glue comparison test done by Fine Woodworking magazine about a year ago showed that TBIII was very effective in bonding oily woods. As a help, you can also wipe the wood down with Acetone first to remove the surface oil before applying the glue.

Cody
Tyler, TX

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1 Cross Plus 3 Nails = 4 given

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**Sachbvn** · 10-31-2009, 08:23 AM

How would epoxy work?

Zac

**FreeMark** · 10-31-2009, 11:54 AM

Not sure about epoxy Zac, as it likes to have some texture in the surface on which to "grab", combined with some "soak" into the surface fibers to lock into.

I've ordered a copy of the mag that Cody mentioned (Thanks Cody) to study further. Will probably do some experimentation with both the TiteBond III and some System Three Epoxy I have left from a kayak I built a few years ago.

Thanks for the ideas,
Mark

**Sachbvn** · 11-01-2009, 08:20 AM

What about scuffing the tubes before you insert them into the blanks? Enough to grab on to?

Zac

**FrankC** · 11-01-2009, 03:24 PM

This works but it is not cheap:
http://www.star-distributing.com/smith/tropwhy.html

Frank C.
Sawdust Making 101
http://sawdustmaking.com

**tscheel** · 11-02-2009, 03:20 PM

What Cody said. I remember that article, and I believe the TB scored well on a number of fronts. Even better than polyurethane for outside stuff...

-tyler

*****************************
Tyler Scheel
Fremont, CA
http://www.escheel.com

**DougB** · 11-02-2009, 05:37 PM

>What about scuffing the tubes before you insert them into
>the blanks? Enough to grab on to?
>
>
>Zac

That is exactly what you do for pens Zac, but I think Mark is wanting to laminate some pieces together to get a bigger blank to turn.

**FreeMark** · 11-02-2009, 08:32 PM

Excellent tips - thanks everyone. The epoxy is intriguing from a possibility of other uses I could make of it. I s'pose too, that I could scuff the surface with some 36 grit after planing to thickness and de-oiling with acetone, as well for the Titebond route.

Number of ways to skin this one, which is what I like about this bunch - knock me out of my rut when I get stuck.

Thanks,
Mark